By the spring of 1940 things were not looking too well in the British Isles. Britain had declared war on Germany, and Eire was coming to terms with being a fledgling state after a nasty civil war. Both vulnerable countries with everything to lose.

Hitler, having defeated the British Expeditionary Forces at Dunkirk had pushed the remaining troops into the sea, France and mainland Europe was his. Spain was Fascist so he needed to go no further that way.

Only the British Isles were left and the Nazi’s Operation Sealion would soon enable his complete domination of Europe. It became clear in Britain and Ireland that the Germans could well invade southern Ireland and take control of the Battle of the Atlantic, thus starving both counties of vital supplies. It was obvious that they should formulate a joint plan to overcome the threat of Hitler’s domination.

By early 1940, the House of Commons and Dáil Éireann had begun secret talks. There was now a distinct possibility that Germany would invade the island of Ireland from Northern France.

The Luftwaffe would have a short trip over to the south, and paratroops could be dropped easily.

Having secured Ireland they would have a strategic advantage and could easily starve these island into submission and thus have complete control. Europe would be fascist under Nazi rule and all that it entailed. The British had already intercepted communications setting out the German plans called Operation Green. Something had to be done to stop this German invasion and so Plan W, was developed.